US 8,715,585 B2 · Assignee: Isel Co., Ltd. · Inventors: Mochizuki; Noboru
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A mixing unit and various applications of the mixing unit are described herein. The mixing unit includes: a stacked member in which three or more mixing elements are stacked; and a first plate and a second plate between which the stacked member is sandwiched and which are arranged opposite each other. In the mixing unit, the mixing elements have a plurality of first through holes, the second plate has an opening portion communicating with at least one of the first through holes in the mixing elements and the mixing elements are arranged such that part or all of the first through holes in one of the mixing elements communicate with other first through holes in the adjacent mixing element to allow fluid to be passed in a direction in which the mixing elements extend.
As a static mixing device for mixing fluid, a Kenics-type static mixer or the like is widely used. Since this type of static mixer generally does not include a movable component, the static mixing device is widely used in fields, such as the chemical industry and the food industry, in which fluid is required to be mixed in piping. On the other hand, as a dynamic mixing device, a product is widely used that places an agitation impeller in fluid within a mixing vessel and that rotates the agitation blade to mix the fluid. Patent document 1 discloses an example of a static fluid mixing device. This fluid mixing device is provided with a distribution port in the middle, and is composed of a plurality of fluid guide units obtained by concentrically stacking two discs, that is, one large disc and one small disc formed by arranging in one surface a large number of polygonal-shaped compartments
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What the patent claimed, word for word. All of it is now free to use.
The present invention relates to a product that is applied as a mixing unit or a mixing device and is thus utilized to perform processing such as for statistically mixing fluid. The invention also relates to a product that is applied as an agitation impeller, a pump mixer or a mixing system and is thus utilized to perform processing such as for dynamically mixing fluid. The invention also relates to a product that is applied as a reaction device and is thus utilized to perform processing such as for efficiently mixing fluid to produce reaction.
As a static mixing device for mixing fluid, a Kenics-type static mixer or the like is widely used. Since this type of static mixer generally does not include a movable component, the static mixing device is widely used in fields, such as the chemical industry and the food industry, in which fluid is required to be mixed in piping. On the other hand, as a dynamic mixing device, a product is widely used that places an agitation impeller in fluid within a mixing vessel and that rotates the agitation blade to mix the fluid.
Patent document 1 discloses an example of a static fluid mixing device. This fluid mixing device is provided with a distribution port in the middle, and is composed of a plurality of fluid guide units obtained by concentrically stacking two discs, that is, one large disc and one small disc formed by arranging in one surface a large number of polygonal-shaped compartments whose front surfaces are open, in the form of honeycomb. The compartments of the large diameter disc and the compartments of the small diameter disc are arranged in different positions such that each compartment communicates with a plurality of compartments opposite it, and these fluid guide units are stacked.
In the fluid mixing device, when the fluid moves through the compartments in the fluid guide units, the fluid is mixed by being dispersed, reversed and combined, and is further mixed by eddying flow, turbulent flow, collision and the like produced in each compartment. The fluid mixing device is characterized in that significant mixing effects are obtained by alternately dispersing and concentrating the fluid in a radial direction, that is, from the center of the fluid guide unit to the outside or from the outside to the center.
However, since, in the fluid mixing device, the area of a fluid flow passage is composed of the areas of only parts through which the compartments of the two discs, the large and small discs, communicate with each other, the mixing effects are limited. As the flow rate of the fluid is increased, the pressure drop produced in the entire device is increased; thus, it is disadvantageously necessary to use a large amount of power.
Since the residues of the fluid and foreign matter are adhered to dead spaces in the compartments, a washing operation for maintenance is time-consuming.
On the other hand, in order to mix liquid within a mixing vessel, a turbine blade or the like is widely used; patent document 2 discloses an agitation blade to increase the efficiency of mixing. In the agitation blade, on both surfaces of a supporting member fitted to an agitation shaft, four pairs of two partially agitating units are fitted, each pair of two partially agitating units being aligned with respect to the rotational plane on each surface; as the outside openings of the partially agitating units of those pairs are positioned further backward with respect to the rotational direction, they are sequentially positioned further backward toward the inside. Consequently, a large degree of mixing is easily and reliably acquired in a short period of time even with a small amount of power.
However, in the agitation blade described above, the fluid is mixed only in the areas around the partially agitating units fitted to the supporting member, and the efficiency of mixing is therefore limited.
In order to mix fluid within a reaction device or a reactor to produce reaction, for example, a methanol synthesis reactor is provided that involves a heterogeneous exothermic reaction. In the reactor, raw gas is reacted with a catalyst, catalyst layers are divided into several parts so that the amount of catalyst put into the reactor is reduced, the gas entering the catalyst layers is cooled and the concentration of a reaction product within the gas is reduced, with the result that the reaction rate in the catalyst layers is increased. Specifically, the outgoing gas in the catalyst layers whose temperature is high due to the exothermic reaction is mixed with the raw gas whose temperature is low and thus the temperature of the outgoing gas and the concentration of methanol, that is, the reaction product are reduced, and they are fed to downstream catalyst layers. In this way, it is possible to increase the reaction speed and the reaction rate in the catalyst layers and thus reduce the total amount of catalyst put into the reactor.
Patent document 3 discloses an example of such a mixing device and a reactor in which gas flows having different temperatures are mixed within a heterogeneous exothermic synthesis reactor. The mixing device is provided within the reactor; the mixing device mixes a high-temperature gas flow from an annular space formed by a partition that is placed parallel to a side wall of the reactor supporting catalyst layers and in a lower part of the bottom of a catalyst bed with a cooling gas flow supplied from an annular pierced supply portion placed in a lower part of the partition under predetermined conditions. In this way, it is possible to optimally mix gas flows having different temperatures and thus improve an inversion rate within the reactor.
However, when mixing is performed by the mixing device, since the cooling gas flow is locally injected into the high-temperature gas flow through the pierced supply portion placed in the annular space, the gases are insufficiently mixed around the pierced supply portion. Hence, in order to sufficiently mix the gases as a whole, a predetermined space is further required. Therefore, a deflector is provided to improve the mixing effects but the mixing effects are limited. Moreover, when an operation is performed with a small amount of gas flow supplied to the reactor and a light load thus imposed on the reactor, since the speed of the cooling gas flow supplied through the holes in the pierced supply portion is reduced, the effects of mixture with the high-temperature gas flow are disadvantageously further reduced. Furthermore, the pierced supply portion for supplying the cooling gas flow is placed in the annular space, and it therefore becomes difficult to produce the annular space as the size of the reactor is increased.
Patent Document
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. S58-133822 Patent document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H8-182924 Patent document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No.
H9-509611
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
The present invention is designed in view of the foregoing; an object of the present invention is to provide a mixing unit and a mixing device which have significant mixing effects in a small space, which can mix a large amount of fluid and in which a washing operation can easily be performed. Another object of the present invention is to provide an agitation impeller and a pump mixer that use the mixing unit to have significant mixing effects in a small space. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mixing system that uses the pump mixer. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a reaction device that uses the mixing unit to efficiently mix and react fluid.
Means for Solving the Problem
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a mixing unit, a mixing device, an agitation impeller, a pump mixer, a mixing system and a reaction device below.
A mixing unit according to the present invention includes: a stacked member in which a plurality of mixing elements are stacked; and a first plate and a second plate between which the stacked member is sandwiched and which are arranged opposite each other. In the mixing unit, the mixing elements have a plurality of first through holes, the second plate has an opening portion communicating with at least one of the first through holes in the mixing elements and the mixing elements are arranged such that part or all of the first through holes in one of the mixing elements communicate with a first through hole in the adjacent mixing element to allow fluid to be passed in a direction in which the mixing element extends.
According to the present invention, the fluid that flowed in through the second opening portion in the second plate flows into the stacked member through the first through holes in the mixing elements communicating with the opening portion, is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with each other within the stacked member and flows out of the stacked member.
The first through holes in the mixing elements on both ends of the stacked member in the direction in which the mixing elements are stacked are closed by the first plate and the second plate. Therefore, the fluid that has flowed into the stacked member is so guided as to be passed through the first through holes communicating with each other in the direction in which the mixing element extends.
Even when, in contrast, the fluid that has flowed into the stacked member through the first through holes in the mixing elements flows out through the opening portion in the second plate, the fluid is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with each other within the stacked member.
Here, the direction in which the mixing element extends refers to the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the mixing elements are stacked.
Furthermore, according to this configuration, the fluid flows out from the above-mentioned first through holes to other first through holes communicating with each other in the mixing direction, and, in contrast, the fluid flows in from those other first through holes communicating with each other in the mixing direction to the above-mentioned first through holes, with the result that the fluid repeatedly flows in and out within the first through holes complicatedly communicating with each other. Thus, the fluid flows more complicatedly, and this enhances the mixing effects. Since a larger number of mixing elements stacked are used and hence a cross-sectional area in the direction in which the mixing elements having the fluid flow extend is increased, it is possible to mix a larger amount of fluid.
In the mixing unit according to the present invention, the plurality of mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate are preferably fixed such that the mixing unit can be disassembled into each of the plurality of mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate.
According to this configuration, the mixing unit is disassembled into the mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate, and thus it is possible to easily produce the mixing unit. Moreover, a cleaning operation such as for removing residue and foreign matter left in the first through holes in the mixing elements can easily be performed.
In the mixing unit according to the present invention, the plurality of mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate are preferably fixed such that each of the plurality of mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate can be individually divided.
According to this configuration, the plurality of mixing elements, the first plate and the second plate, which constitute the mixing unit, can be divided. Thus, it is possible to easily provide the mixing unit in a product having a complicated shape.
Preferably, in the mixing unit according to the present invention, the mixing elements have a second through hole larger than the first through holes and are arranged such that the second through hole communicate with each other in a direction in which the mixing elements are stacked so as to form a hollow portion in the stacked member, and the opening portion in the second plate communicates with at least one of the first through holes in the mixing elements through the hollow portion.
According to this configuration, the fluid that has flowed through the opening portion in the second plate flows into the hollow portion of the mixing unit. Here, the hollow portion refers to a hollow space portion formed by stacking the second through holes in the mixing elements. Since the flow resistance of the fluid flowing through the hollow portion is low, the distribution of pressure in the mixing direction is low. Hence, the fluid flows, regardless of the position of the mixing direction, into the stacked member through the first through holes substantially uniformly communicating with the hollow portion, and flows in the direction in which the mixing elements extend.
Even when, in contrast, the fluid that has flowed into the stacked member through the first through holes of the mixing elements flows out into the hollow portion, the fluid substantially uniformly flows, regardless of the position of the mixing direction, through the stacked member in the direction in which the mixing elements extend, and flows out through the first through holes substantially uniformly communicating with the hollow portion.
A mixing device according to the present invention includes: the mixing unit described above; and a casing that accommodates the mixing unit and that has an inlet and an outlet. In the mixing unit, the first plate of the mixing unit has an outer shape smaller than an inner shape of the casing, the second plate of the mixing unit has an outer shape substantially equal to the inner shape of the casing and an outer surface of the second plate is substantially in contact with an inner surface of the casing.
According to this configuration, the fluid that has flowed in through the inlet of the casing flows into the stacked member through the opening portion of the second plate and the first through holes in the mixing elements communicating with the opening portion of the second plate. Then, the fluid is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked member, flows out of the stacked member and further flows out through the outlet of the casing.
When, in contrast, the fluid within the stacked member flows out through the opening portion of the second plate, the fluid flows into the stacked member through the first through holes of the mixing elements. Then, the fluid is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked member, flows out through the first through holes communicating with the opening portion of the second plate and further flows out through the outlet of the casing.
Since the first plate of the mixing unit has the outer shape smaller than the inner shape of the casing, the fluid is not prevented from flowing into the stacked member. Moreover, since the outer surface of the second plate is substantially in contact with the inner surface of the casing, it is possible to reliably pass the fluid through the opening portion of the second plate into the stacked member.
According to this configuration, the fluid repeatedly flows in and out in the first through holes complicatedly communicating with each other within the stacked member forming the mixing unit. Thus, the fluid flows more complicatedly, and this enhances the mixing effects. Since a larger number of mixing elements that are stacked and form the mixing unit are used and thus a cross-sectional area in the direction in which the mixing elements having the fluid flow extend is increased, it is possible to mix the fluid having a larger flow rate.
Furthermore, according to this configuration, since the fluid can be mixed within the casing, it is possible to use the mixing device as an in-line static mixing device. Thus, it is possible to continuously mix the fluid.
An agitation impeller according to the present invention has the mixing unit fitted to a rotation shaft that is driven to rotate.
According to this configuration, when the agitation impeller is provided within a mixing vessel, the rotation of the rotation shaft rotates the mixing unit, a centrifugal force acts on the fluid within the mixing unit and the fluid is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with each other and is discharged through the first through holes open to the outer circumferential portion of the stacked member. The fluid within the mixing vessel is sucked into the hollow portion by the rotation of the mixing unit, is passed through the first through holes communicating with the hollow portion into the stacked member and is mixed.
With a conventional paddle blade or a disc turbine blade, mixing energy is mainly applied to the fluid in only a small space near the blade; however, according to this configuration, the volume ratio of the mixing unit to the mixing vessel is increased, and thus the mixing energy is applied to the fluid in a significantly large space as compared with the conventional agitation blade. It is therefore possible to effectively utilize the space within the mixing vessel and effectively mix the fluid.
A pump mixer according to the present invention has the mixing unit provided within a casing. In the pump mixer, the mixing unit is driven to rotate such that fluid sucked through a suction port provided in the end surface of the casing is passed into the mixing unit through the opening portion of the second plate of and the hollow portion of the mixing unit, is further passed out through the outer circumferential portion of the mixing unit and is discharged through a discharge port provided in the casing.
According to this configuration, the fluid sucked through the suction port of the casing flows into the hollow portion of the mixing unit that is driven to rotate. The fluid that has flowed into the hollow portion flows into the stacked member forming the mixing unit through the first through holes of the mixing elements communicating with the hollow portion, and is passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked member. Thereafter, the fluid flows out through the outer circumferential portion of the mixing unit, and is discharged through the discharge port of the casing.
In this configuration, the fluid repeatedly flows in and out in the first through holes complicatedly communicating with each other within the stacked member forming the mixing unit. Thus, the fluid flows more complicatedly, and this enhances the mixing effects.
Since a larger number of mixing elements stacked are used and thus a cross-sectional area in the direction in which the mixing elements having the fluid flow extend is increased, it is possible to mix the fluid having a larger flow rate.
Furthermore, according to this configuration, since the mixing unit is driven to rotate and thus the fluid sucked through the suction port can be mixed within the pump mixer and discharged at high pressure, it is possible to continuously mix the fluid in a line.
Preferably, in the pump mixer according to the present invention, blades are provided in the outer circumferential portion of the stacked element, and the blades are formed to face in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the mixing element extends.
According to this configuration, for example, with the blade formed in the outer circumferential portion of the stacked element, it is possible to effectively apply a force to the fluid passed out through the outer circumferential portion of the stacked member. It is therefore possible to increase the pressure of the fluid discharged from the pump mixer.
A mixing system according to the present invention is a mixing system that includes the pump mixer and that further includes a fluid circulation line extending from the discharge port to the suction port of the pump mixer.
Since this mixing system includes the pump mixer in the fluid circulation line, even when the fluid cannot be mixed sufficiently by passing the fluid through the pump mixer only one time, it is possible to repeatedly pass the fluid through the pump mixer. It is therefore possible to reliably mix the fluid.
A reaction device according to the present invention is a reaction device in which the mixing unit is provided within a vessel having an inlet and an outlet, and in which at least two catalyst layers are provided within the vessel and the mixing unit is provided in at least one space between the catalyst layers.
In this reaction device, the mixing unit is provided in at least one space between the catalyst layers among at least two catalyst layers within the reaction device, and the fluid from the upstream catalyst layer is fed to the mixing unit provided between the catalyst layers along with one or two or more other fluids. The fluid fed to the mixing unit flows through the opening portion of the second plate of the mixing unit and the first through holes of the mixing elements communicating with the opening portion of the second plate into the stacked member. Then, the fluid is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked element, flows out of the mixing unit and is fed to the downstream catalyst layer.
Since, in this configuration, the first plate has the outer shape smaller than the inner shape of the vessel, it is possible to reliably flow the fluid out of or into the space around the stacked member. Since the outer surface of the second plate is substantially in contact with the inner surface of the vessel, it is possible to reliably flow the fluid into or out of the stacked member through the opening portion of the second plate.
In this configuration, the fluid repeatedly flows in and out in the first through holes complicatedly communicating with each other within the stacked member of the mixing unit, is highly mixed and is fed to the downstream catalyst layer. Thus, the conversion in the catalyst layer is increased.
Since a larger number of mixing elements that are stacked and form the mixing unit are used and thus a cross-sectional area in the direction in which the mixing elements having the fluid flow extend is increased, it is possible to mix and react the fluid having a larger flow rate.
A reaction device according to the present invention is a reaction device in which a mixing unit for mixing fluid within a vessel is provided. In the reaction device, at least two catalyst layers are provided within the vessel, the mixing unit is provided in at least one space between the catalyst layers, the mixing unit includes a stacked member in which a plurality of mixing elements are stacked and cover plates between which the stacked member is sandwiched and which are arranged opposite each other, the mixing elements have a plurality of first through holes, the mixing elements are arranged such that part or all of the first through holes in one of the mixing elements communicate with a first through hole in the adjacent mixing element to allow fluid to be passed in a direction in which the mixing element extends, and part of a side surface of the stacked member is covered such that the mixing unit has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in the direction in which the mixing element extends.
According to this configuration, since the cover plates between which the stacked member formed with a plurality of mixing elements is sandwiched are arranged opposite each other and part of the side surface of the stacked member is covered, the mixing unit has the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet in the direction in which the mixing element extends. Hence, the fluid that has flowed in through the inlet is mixed while being passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked member, and flows out of the stacked member.
The first through holes in the mixing elements on both ends of the stacked member in the direction in which the mixing elements are stacked are closed by the cover plates. Therefore, the fluid that has flowed into the stacked member is so guided as to be passed through the first through holes communicating with each other in the direction in which the mixing element extends.
Here, the direction in which the mixing element extends refers to the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the mixing elements are stacked.
Furthermore, according to this configuration, the fluid flows out from the above-mentioned first through holes to other first through holes communicating with each other in the mixing direction, and, in contrast, the fluid flows in from those other first through holes communicating with each other in the mixing direction to the above-mentioned first through holes, with the result that the fluid repeatedly flows in and out within the first through holes complicatedly communicating with each other. Thus, the fluid flows more complicatedly, and this enhances the mixing effects. Since a larger number of mixing elements stacked are used and hence a cross-sectional area in the direction in which the mixing elements having the fluid flow extend is increased, it is possible to mix the fluid having a larger flow rate.
Effects of the Invention
As described above, according to the mixing unit and the mixing device of the present invention, the fluid flows through the first through holes communicating with each other, and thus the mixing effects are enhanced.
Moreover, according the agitation impeller of the present invention, the fluid flows through the first through holes communicating with each other, and thus it is possible to effectively mix the fluid.
Furthermore, according to the pump mixer of the present invention, since the fluid sacked through the suction port of the pump mixer is passed through the first through holes communicating with each other within the stacked member of the mixing unit and is discharged through the discharge port, it is possible to-continuously mix the fluid. It is also possible to discharge the fluid sucked through the suction port of the pump mixer through the discharge port at high pressure. Moreover, according to the mixing system of the present invention, since the fluid can be repeatedly passed through the pump mixer, it is possible to reliably mix the fluid.
Furthermore, according to the reaction device of the present invention, since the fluid is passed through the first through holes communicating with the inside of the stacked member of the mixing unit, the effect of mixing the fluid is enhanced, and thus it is possible to increase a conversion in the downstream catalyst layer.
FIG. 1 A perspective view showing the constituent components of a mixing unit according to a first embodiment of the mixing unit;
FIG. 2 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through the mixing unit according to the first embodiment of the mixing unit, and a plan view showing the stacked state of mixing elements;
FIG. 3 A perspective view showing the constituent components of a mixing unit according to a second embodiment of the mixing unit;
FIG. 4 A plan view showing the stacked state of mixing elements of the mixing unit according to the second embodiment of the mixing unit;
FIG. 5 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a mixing unit according to a third embodiment of the mixing unit, and a perspective view of mixing elements;
FIG. 6 A perspective view showing variations of the first through holes in the mixing elements;
FIG. 7 A perspective view showing an example where a mixing element is divided into separate structures;
FIG. 8 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a mixing device according to an embodiment of the mixing device;
FIG. 9 A perspective view showing the constituent components of an agitation impeller according to an embodiment of the agitation impeller;
FIG. 10 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through the agitation impeller according to the embodiment of the agitation impeller and arranged within a mixing vessel;
FIG. 11 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a pump mixer according to a first embodiment of the pump mixer;
FIG. 12 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a pump mixer according to a second embodiment of the pump mixer; FIG. 12(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 12(b); FIG. 12(b) is a cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through the pump mixer;
FIG. 13 A diagram showing the configuration of a mixing system using the pump mixer according to the present invention in the embodiment of the mixing system;
FIG. 14 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a reaction device according to a first embodiment of the reaction device;
FIG. 15 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows through a mixing unit according to the first embodiment of the reaction device;
FIG. 16 A cross-sectional view showing how fluid flows into and out of a mixing unit according to a second embodiment of the reaction device; FIG. 16(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 16(a).
First Embodiment of a Mixing Unit
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the constituent components of a mixing unit 1a according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how a fluid A flows through the mixing unit 1a; FIG. 2(b) is a plan view showing the stacked state of first through holes 22 when a mixing element 21a is placed on the adjacent mixing element 21a.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mixing unit 1a is configured by sandwiching a stacked member 2, in which a plurality of disc-shaped mixing elements 21a (here, six mixing elements) are stacked, between a first plate 3 and a second plate 4 with, for example, fixed by four bolts 11 and nuts 12 appropriately arranged.
The first plate 3 is a disc having only holes 13 for the bolts. The second plate 4 has the holes 14 for the bolts and a circular opening portion 41 in the middle through which the fluid A flows. The first plate 3 and the second plate 4 are substantially equal in outside diameter to the mixing element 21a.
The mixing element 21a has a plurality of circular first through holes 22 and a substantially circular second through hole 23 in the middle. The second through hole 23 is substantially equal in inside diameter to the opening portion 41, and is substantially concentric with the opening portion 41 in the second plate 4. The mixing elements 21a are stacked, and thus the second through holes 23 form a hollow portion 24.
The first through holes 22 have substantially the same inside diameter and pitch. As shown in FIG. 2(b), part of a plurality of first through holes 22 is so arranged as to be displaced with respect to the first through holes 22 in the adjacent mixing elements 21a and to overlap them, and communicates in the direction in which the mixing element 21a extends. The part of a plurality of first through holes 22 is open to the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface of the mixing elements 21a.
The first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21a on both ends of the stacked member 2 are closed, in the direction in which the mixing elements 21a are stacked, by the first plate 3 and the second plate 4 arranged opposite each other on both ends of the stacked member 2. Hence, the fluid A within the stacked member 2 is prevented from flowing through the first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21a on both ends of the stacked member 2 in the direction in which the mixing elements 21a are stacked, and is reliably passed within the stacked member 2 in the direction in which the mixing element 21a extends.
Therefore, the fluid A is passed within the mixing unit 1a from the inner circumferential portion to the outer circumferential portion or vise verse, that is, from the outer circumferential portion to the inner circumferential portion. As described above, a plurality of first through holes 22 are formed to communicate with each other such that the fluid A can be passed between the first through holes 22 in the direction in which the mixing element 21a extends.
In the mixing unit 1a described above, for example, the fluid A flows through the opening portion 41 of the second plate 4 into the hollow portion 24 with appropriate pressure. Then, the fluid A flows into the stacked member 2 through the first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21a, which are open to the inner circumferential surface of the hollow portion 24. Then, the fluid A is passed to other first through holes 22 that communicate with the above-mentioned first through holes 22, and is further passed to first through holes 22 that communicate with the above-mentioned other first through holes 22. Finally, the fluid A flows out of the stacked member 2 through the first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21a, which are open to the outer circumferential surface of the stacked member 2.
As described above, the fluid A substantially radially flows through the first through holes 22 communicating with each other within the stacked member 2 from the inner circumferential portion to the outer circumferential portion. Here, the fluid A is repeatedly divided, combined, reversed and subjected to turbulent flow, eddying flow, collision and the like, and thus the fluid A is highly mixed. On the contrary, the fluid A may flow in through the outer circumferential portion of the stacked member 2 of the mixing elements 21a and flow out through the inner circumferential portion.
The hollow portion 24 is sufficiently larger in size than the first through holes 22; the second through holes 23 of the mixing elements 21a constituting the hollow portion 24 are substantially equal in inside diameter to each other, and are substantially concentric with each other. Hence, the flow resistance to the fluid A flowing through the hollow portion 24 is smaller than that of the fluid A flowing through the stacked member 2. Likewise, the pressure drop is smaller. Therefore, even when a large number of mixing elements 21a are stacked, the fluid A substantially uniformly reaches the inner circumferential portion of the mixing elements 21a regardless of the position of the mixing direction, and substantially uniformly flows through the stacked member 2 from the inner circumferential portion to the outer circumferential portion.
In first through holes 22 in the mixing element 21a whose upper surface and lower surface are in contact with other mixing elements 21a within the mixing unit 1a, since the fluid A flows out from the above-mentioned first through holes 22 to the above-mentioned other first through holes 22 on the upper and lower surfaces, the fluid A is divided through the above-mentioned other first through holes 22 on the upper and lower surfaces. Moreover, since the fluid A flows in from the above-mentioned other first through holes 22 on the upper and lower surfaces to the above-mentioned first through holes 22, the fluid A from the above-mentioned other first through holes 22 on the upper and lower surfaces is combined. Therefore, significant mixing effects are acquired and the fluid A is highly mixed.
In particular, when the flow rate is increased and thus the flow state is transferred to the turbulent flow, the effects of the turbulent flow and the eddying flow are increased, and thus the mixing effects of the fluid resulting from the scattering and the combination are further increased. Even when the flow rate is low and thus the flow state is at a laminar flow, the fluid is divided toward the upper and lower surfaces and is combined, and thus the fluid is highly mixed.
Since the mixing element 21a, the first plate 3 and the second plate 4 can be separately produced, the mixing unit 1a can be produced easily and inexpensively.
Furthermore, since the mixing element 21a, the first plate 3 and the second plate 4 can be disassembled, a cleaning operation such as for removing residue and foreign matter left in the first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21a can easily be performed.
Second Embodiment of the Mixing Unit
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the constituent components of a mixing unit 1b according to a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the stacked state of first through holes 22 when a mixing element 21b is placed on another mixing element 21c.
The mixing unit 1b of the second embodiment differs from the mixing unit 1a of the first embodiment in that the first through hole 22 is substantially rectangular and the mixing elements 21b and 21c where the first through holes 22 are staggered but are arranged differently are stacked. With reference to FIG. 4, in the mixing element 21b, the first through holes 22 arranged along the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface are not open whereas, in the mixing element 21c, the first through holes 22 on the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface are open. The first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21b and 21c are partly displaced and overlapped in a radial direction and in a circumferential direction, and communicate with each other in the direction in which the mixing elements 21b and 21c extend; the size and pitch between the first through holes 22 are increased as the mixing elements 21b and 21c extend outward in a radial direction.
Even with the configuration of the mixing unit 1b, the fluid A flowed into the mixing unit 1b with appropriate pressure flows into the stacked member 2 through the first through holes 22 that are open to the opening portion 41 of the second plate 4 and the inner circumferential surface of the mixing elements 21c. The fluid A is passed radially within the stacked member 2 and through the first through holes 22 with which the mixing elements 21b and 21c communicate, with the result that the fluid A is highly mixed.
Since, in the second embodiment, the first through holes 22 in the mixing elements 21b and 21c are staggered, when the fluid flows from the above-mentioned first through holes 22 to other first through holes 22 on the upper and lower surfaces, the flow is easily divided or easily combined, and thus the fluid is efficiently mixed.
The other parts of the configuration of and the other effects of the mixing unit 1b of the second embodiment are the same as those of the mixing unit 1a of the first embodiment.
Third Embodiment of the Mixing Unit 1
FIG. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how the fluid A flows through a mixing unit 1c according to a third embodiment; FIG. 5(b) is a perspective view showing a mixing element 21d of the mixing unit 1c.
The mixing unit 1c differs from the mixing unit 1a of the first embodiment in that, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), a plurality of mixing elements 21d have the first through holes 22 over the entire surfaces without the provision of the second through holes 23 in the middle and a frame portion 25 (see FIG. 5(b)) that prevents the first through holes 22 from being open to the outer circumferential portion. Each of the first through holes 22 is formed in the shape of a quadrangle (see FIG. 5(b)). The diameter of the first plate 3 is smaller than the diameter of the mixing elements 21d (see FIG. 5(b)) such that the first through holes 22 in the outer portion of the mixing elements 21d stacked on the first plate 3 are open.
The description continues in the full USPTO document.
About 6,735 words. The USPTO PDF has it with every drawing.
Fees are due 3.5, 7.5 and 11.5 years after grant. This patent expired on May 6, 2026, so the fee marked "not paid" was the one that went unpaid.
MIXING UNIT, MIXING DEVICE, AGITATION IMPELLER, PUMP MIXER, MIXING SYSTEM AND REACTION DEVICE
Filed Jun 2009 · published Apr 2011Mixing unit, mixing device, agitation impeller, pump mixer, mixing system and reaction device
Filed Jun 2009 · granted May 2014Earlier publications, parents and continuations. None of them can still be enforced, or this patent would not be listed.
Prior art cited by the examiner or applicant. Useful when you check your own idea for novelty.
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